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returns to God through Chrift, by true repentance, and continues to ferve him in newness of life.

The firft of thefe cafes needs no illuftration; the fenfe of fin in all fuch perfons being not fo properly weakened as destroyed. In the fecond, the finner is under great reftraints for a feafon, but, when the terror is over, his obedience and diligence is immediately relaxed. This fhows plainly, that he had no fincere or cordial affection to the law of God, but was afraid of his power. It fhews that his convictions never were of a right kind, and, therefore, it is no wonder their ftrength fhould decay. But, in every true penitent, a fenfe of fin not only continues, but daily increases. His growing difcovery of the glory of God, points out more clearly to him his own corruption and depravity, both in its quantity and its malignity, so to speak. The very mercies of God, whatever delight or sweetness they afford, take nothing away from his fenfe of the evil of his doings, but rather melt him down in penitential forrow. They serve to cover him with confufion at his own unworthiness, and to fill him with wonder at the divine patience and condefcenfion.

The first work of a convinced finner is, to mourn over the grofs enormities of a profligate life, or a life devoted to worldly pursuits. And his continued employment af ter conversion is, to refift and wrestle with that inherent corruption which was hidden from his view before, but becomes daily more and more fenfible. So true is this, that I have known many inftances in which the most genuine expreffions of felf-abafement happening to fall from aged experienced Chriftians, have appeared to others as little better than affectation. They were not able to conceive the propriety of thefe fentiments, which long acquaintance with God and with ourselves doth naturally and infallibly inspire.

From these remarks, let me beg the reader to judge of the reality and progrefs of the fpiritual life. Does Does your fense of the evil of fin not only continue, but grow? Do you now fee fin in many things which you never fufpected before? Do you fee more of the boldnefs, ingratitude, and fottifh folly of finners and defpifers of God? Are you

daily making new difcoveries of the vanity, fenfuality, and treachery of your own hearts? Be not difcouraged at it, but humbled by it. Let it empty you of all felf-esteem and felf-dependence, and give you a higher relifh of the gofpel of peace. The fubftance of the gofpel is" falvati"on to the chief of finners, by the riches of divine grace, "and the fanctification of your polluted natures by the "power of the Holy Ghoft."

As I would willingly gives as much imformation and inftruction as poffible, I fhall, before quitting this part of the fubject, speak a few words of a pretty extraordinary opinion to be found in fome of the practical writers of the laft age. It is, that genuine conviction, and the foul's fubjection to God, ought to be carried fo far in every true penitent, as to make him willing, fatisfied, and, fome fay, even" pleased," that God fhould glorify his juftice in his everlasting perdition. This is fo repugnant to nature, and to that very folicitude about our eternal happiness, by which the confcience is firft laid hold of, that it appears to be utterly impoflible. There have been many to whom this requifition has given inexpreffible concern, has been a daily fnare to their confcience, and an obstruction to their peace. There is fuch an infeparable connection be. tween our duty and happiness, that the queftion fhould never have been moved; but, for the fatisfaction of those who may have met, or may fill meet with it in authors, otherwife defervedly esteemed, I fhall make fome remarks which I hope will either explain it in a found fenfe, or fhew it to be at bottom falle.

Men do often differ more in words than in fubftance. Perhaps what thefe authors chiefly mean, is no more than what has been explained above at confiderable length, viz. That the finner finds himself without excufe, his "mouth "is ftopped," he feeth the holinefs of the law, he confeffeth the juftice of the fentence, he quits every claim but mercy. Thus he may be faid to abfolve or juftify God, though he fhould leave him to perifh for ever. So far, I apprehend, it is undeniably juft; otherwife, the very foundation of the gofpel is overthrown, and falvation is not "of grace," but "of debt." If we impartially examine

the word mercy, and the many trong declarations in fcripture of our obligations to God for the gift of eternal life, we fhall find that they cannot, confiftently, imply lefs, than that the finner "deferved," and was liable, to "eternal death."

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But to carry the thing farther, and to say that the peni. tent must be pleafed and fatisfied with damnation itself, as he is pleased with suffering in another view, as it is his heavenly Father's fanctified rod, appears to me to be at once unnatural, unreasonable, unlawful, and impoflible. It is plainly contrary to that defire of our own happiness which is fo deeply implanted in our natures, and which feems to be infeparable from a rational creature. No fuch thing is, either directly or confequentially, afferted in the holy fcriptures, which fo often urge us to a due care of our own beft interefts. "Wherefore, fays the prophet, do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which fatisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your foul delight itfelf in fatnefs. Incline your ear, and come unto me, hear, and your fouls fhall live, and I "will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the "fure mercies of David."* Further, the propofition feems to me neceffarily to imply an impoffibility in itself. For what is damnation? It is to be for ever feparated from, and deprived of, the fruition of God. Is this then, a dutiful object either of defire or acquiefcence? It is to hate God and blafpheme his name, as well as to be banished from his prefence. Can this be tolerable to any true penitent? or is it reconcileable to, or confiftent with, fubjection to his righteous will? Can any creature be suppofed to please God, by giving up all hope of his favor? Or is it lefs abfurd than "difobeying" him from a fenfe of “duty,” and “ hating" him from a principle of " love?"

We muft, therefore, carefully feparate the acknowledgment of divine justice, and most unconditional subjection to the divine sovereignty, from an abfolute despair, or giving up all hope in the divine mercy. We have a very

* Ifa. lv. 2, 3.

beautiful scripture inftance of humble, yet perfifting importunity, in the woman of Canaan, who met with many repulfes, confeffed the juftice of every thing that made against her, and yet continued to urge her plea. Neither is there any difference between the way in which she fupplicated of the Saviour a cure for her diftreffed daughter, and the way in which an awakened finner will implore from the fame Saviour more necefïary relief to an afflicted confcience. "And behold a woman of Canaan came out "of the fame coafts, and cried unto him, faying, Have mercy on me, () Lord, thou fon of David, my daughter "is grievously vexed with a devil. But he anfwered her not a word. And his difciples came and befought him, 'faying, Send her away, for fhe crieth after us. But he "anfwered and faid, I am not fent but unto the loft fheep "of the houfe of Ifrael. Then came fhe and worshipped "him, faying, Lord help me. But he answered and faid, "It is not meet to take the children's bread and caft it to

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dogs. And the faid, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of "the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jefus answered and faid unto her, O woman, great is "thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt.”* I fhall conclude with mentioning an instance of a finilar character in a foreigner of eminent ftation, who had been a great profligate, and afterwards became a great penitent.† He composed a little piece of poetry after his converfion, the leading fentiment of which was what I have recommended above, and in his own language was to the following purpose: "Great God, thy judgments are full of righteoufnefs, thou takest pleasure in the exercife of mercy; but "I have finned to fuch a height, that juftice demands my deftruction, and mercy itself feems to folicit my per"dition. Difdain my tears, ftrike the blow, and execute

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thy judgment. I am willing to submit, and adore, even "in perishing, the equity of thy procedure. But on "what place will the ftroke fall, that is not covered with "the blood of Chrift?"

Matth. xv. 22-28.

+ Des Barreaux.

SECT. V.

Acceptance of salvation through the cross of Christ.

TH

HE next great ftep in a finner's change is a difcovery and acceptance of falvation from fin and mifery through Jefus Chrift. This is the laft and finishing step of the glorious work. When this is attained, the change is compleated, the new nature is fully formed in all its parts. The fpiritual feed is implanted, and hath taken root; and it will arrive by degrees, in every veffel of mercy, to that measure of maturity and strength, that it pleas eth God each fhall poffefs before he be carried hence.

It is eafy to fee, that conviction of fin which hath been before illuftrated, prepares and paves the way for a discovery and acceptance of falvation by Chrift. Before conviction of fin, or when conviction is but imperfect, the gofpel of Chrift, and particularly the doctrine of the cross, almost constantly appears to be foolishness. Or if, as fometimes happens, education and example prompts the finner to speak with fome degree of reverence of the name, character and undertaking of a Saviour, there is no dif tinct perception of the meaning, nor any inward relifh of the sweetness of the falutary truths. But thofe who have been "wounded in their fpirits, and grieved in their

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minds," begin to perceive their unfpeakable importance and value. That myftery which was hid from ages and generations, begins to open upon the foul in its luftre and glory. The helpless and hopelefs ftate of the finner makes him earnestly and anxioufly enquire, whether there is any way to efcape, whether there is any door of mercy or of hope. He fays, with the awakened and trembling jailor, What muft I do to be faved ?" And with the Pfalmift, "Innumerable evils have compaffed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, fo that I am not able "to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head, "therefore my heart faileth me. I have no excufe to offer, nor any fhelter to fly to: the works, the word,

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VOL. I.

* Acts xvi. 30.

Ff

† Pfal. xl. 12.

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